Nathan Sutherland, 36, was arrested on one count of sexual assault and one count of vulnerable adult abuse, after a woman in a long-term vegetative state gave birth last month, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams told the media.
Sutherland is a licensed practical nurse at the Hacienda HealthCare facility where staff members were surprised when a 29-year-old Native American woman gave birth on December 29th. DNA linked Sutherland to the case.
Authorities say Sutherland was responsible for her care around the time of the alleged assault. PEOPLE reports that medical records state that the victim was a resident since she was a toddler and she “lacks sufficient understanding and mental capacity to make decisions or give consents for her medical, placement or financial estate” and suffers from quadriplegia, recurrent pneumonia and a seizure disorder.
